Welcome to our FREE tips page for day 9 of the Brasil 2014 World Cup. Colombia and Costa Rica are out to cause huge upsets while Germany will want to quiet the haters following last weeks poor showing against Algeria. Enjoy the selections and feel free to let us know your thoughts via Twitter or the comments section below.
Germany France
Odds: 2/1 (3.00)
The Round of 16 saw the group winners take on the group runners-up, and despite their being a clear favourite in each match only three of the eight fixtures were settled in normal time. France and Germany both edged out African opposition, and we find it hard to separate these two teams at the quarter-finals. Before the tournament began Germany would be clear favourites, but France have built an uncharacteristic team harmony whilst Germany have been off the pace after beating Portugal on their first day. Pogba and Matuidi should be able to stifle the Germans through the middle, though if Deschamps starts Benzema instead of Griezmann then the French will have less opportunity to exploit the lack of pace in the German defence.
Odds: 9/10 (1.90)
This prediction is mostly stats based, though tactically Deschamps may use Griezmann as substitute and the pacey attacker could leave Mertesacker and Boateng trailing in his wake. So far in the competition France have scored four first half and six second half goals, and Germany have scored two first half, five second half and two extra-time goals. This should be a tight game and the first half could be quite cagey.
Brazil Colombia
Odds: 4.00 (3/1)
Rodríguez scored against Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan before netting twice against Uruguay. He is turning out to be the number one talent to make his name at this World Cup and so it is a real shame he is playing at Monaco in front of crowds the size of a struggling Championship side. Brazil have laboured to the quarter-finals and have kept only one clean sheet so to get these kinds of odds for a player that has scored in every game thus far is terrific value.
Odds: 2.20 (6/5)
Only the Netherlands have scored more goals than Colombia at this World Cup, and Brazil are not exactly short on attacking talent either. Rodriguez and Neymar may win this bet by themselves. Brazil’s defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo is suspended, and they don’t really have anyone to replace him, so the Colombians should be able to carve out some opportunities for Rodriguez, Jackson Martínez and Teófilo Gutiérrez. Brazil need to pull themselves together if they want to win this tournament, and Fred leading a frontline of Neymar, Hulk and Oscar they have got to find a way past a team reliant on a 38-year old in defence.
Argentina Belgium
Odds:2.40 (7/5)
Argentina have scored only one goal in the first half of games so far at the World Cup, though were also were aided by Bosnian Kolašinac, who put through his own net three minutes into their opening game. Belgium has yet to score in the first half of games, and with a World Cup semi-final place a5t stake this match should be extremely tight. Hopefully play will open up in the second half but we expect the first half to be rather turgid and lacking in goal scoring opportunities.
Odds: 2.05 (21/20)
Messi is dragging Argentina through this World Cup, and though it is Di Mario who scored the only goal of the game with Switzerland it seemed for two hours that Messi was the only Argentinian that knew the meaning of the word goal. He scored four goals in the three group games, with Marcos Rojo scoring Argentina’s only other goal (along with Kolašinac). The Belgians have a solid defence but whilst they may be able to stifle most players, Lionel Messi is not most players.
Netherlands Costa Rica
Odds:2.00 (1/1)
Netherlands carved open Spain and Australia, but found the going tougher against Chile and Mexico. None of Costa Rica’s matches have had exactly two or three goals, but that is due to the opposition they have faced: Uruguay could not defend (3-1), Italy could not attack (1-0) and England could not be bothered (0-0), whilst Greece could pass a law banning goals and no one there would notice (1-1). The tournament top-scorers Holland are too good going forward for the Costa Ricans to restrict to less than two goals, but Costa Rica are too spirited to allow this to be too easy for the Dutch: 2-1 is the most likely outcome, give or take a goal for either side.
Odds: 2.10 (11/10)
The Netherlands have van Persie and Robben on three goals each, Depay has two to his name, while de Vrij, Fer, Huntelaar and Sneijder have also found the net. Their attacking prowess was proven by the 5-1 demolition of Spain. Costa Rica surely cannot prevent them from finding the net. Yet Costa Rica are battlers with great spirit, seemingly able to score when it matters. Ben Foster kept a clean sheet but that did not matter, Costa Rica put three past Uruguay and one each past Italy and that rock hard Greek defence.
